Mitcham Heritage Research Centre

Photographic Collection

Illustration 1: The Road to Belair

C A Petts CollectionIllustration 2: Moving the Coromandel Office

OL Wilson Collection

Illustration 5: Campfire Circle, Glenalta Den 1949

Margaret Arnott-Rogers Collection

Illustration 4: Fiveways, Blackwood 1954

Ruth Sabine Collection

Illustration 3: Hawkstone Arms 1899 - Licensee MA O'Donohue

Source: Stephanie James

Charles Alfred Petts CollectionBorn in Britain in 1876, Charles Petts was an avid artist and photographer, having taught art at the Manchester School of Technology. After migrating to Australia in 1909, Petts took on a career as a commercial artist and photographer, creating advertising material for iconic South Australian companies including FH Faulding and Harris Scarfe.

In 1911 Petts and his family moved into the Mitcham district, and it was around this time that he started recording examples of life around Mitcham, Brownhill Creek and Belair. The Petts children feature prominently in these early photographs, which illustrate what life was like in and around Mitcham during the first half of the twentieth century. Taken between 1911-1943, these black and white images have captured many wonderful examples of buildings, land marks, people, pastimes, fashions and transport within the Mitcham area.

The CA Petts collection was donated to the Mitcham Heritage Research Centre in 1999 so that future generations may be able to enjoy them. For further information about this collection, see 'Charles Alfred Petts Photographic Collection' brochure, available from the MHRC.

Illustration 6: Margaret and Joan Petts

CA Petts Collection

The Mitcham Heritage Research Centre (MHRC) maintains a large permanent collection of predominantly black and white photographs, depicting various aspects of nineteenth and twentieth century lifestyles and landscapes from around the Mitcham District.

The Photographic Collection is comprised largely from four major private donations made to the MHRC over the past 25 years, by former and current local residents – CA Petts; OL Wilson; Margaret Arnott-Rogers; and Ruth Sabine. It is complemented by a selection of mounted prints, taken from various sources (private collections; Messenger Press, State library, etc.) which depict people, buildings, landscapes and cemeteries in the area. The collection also includes selected school photos from the Mitcham School (early 1900s to 1959), St Marys (1970s-90s) and the former South Road Primary School.

The Photographic Collection is currently only available in hard copy format (originals, prints and slides), and can be accessed by members of the public when visiting the MHRC. Copies of photographs can be ordered for a small fee (see back).

For further information about accessing the collection, purchasing prints, or using the photographs for your next exhibitions, please contact the MHRC.

OL Wilson Collection Born in 1910, OL Wilson moved into the Mitcham district in 1928, settling in Hawthorndene. He was an accountant by trade, and an enthusiastic amatuer photographer in his spare time. Wilson captured hundreds of images of buildings, landscapes, people, industry and the railway within the Blackwood and Hawthorndene areas between 1928-1977. As a long standing member of the Blackwood Bowling Club, Wilson also documented many people and events within that club.

The OL Wilson collection, comprising 350 photograph negatives, was donated to the Ivor Symons Library, Blackwood, part of the Mitcham Library service(now the MHRC) in 1985. For further informationabout this collection, see 'OL Wilson Photographic Collection' brochure, available from the MHRC.

Illustration 7: Easton Brothers the Bottle O with horse & cart

OL Wilson Collection

Margaret Arnott-Rogers Collection Born in Shanghai, China in 1907 to missionary parents, Margaret and her family migrated to Australia and settled in Torrens Park in 1927. Inheriting a passion for photography from her father, Margaret keenly documented her own interests and activities, as well as community and family life in Mitcham (particularly around the Torrens Park/Netherby area) from 1927 – 1970s.

Widely educated, Arnott-Rogers worked as a teacher and product demonstrator, before taking up freelance photography. She was employed to produce promotional material for businesses such as the National Trust, Burnside Council and the SA Museum, and in her spare time, took family portraits and wedding photographs. Arnott-Rogers was heavily involved with the establishment of the Torrens Park Scouts, and as such her collection also features many pictures of this group.

The Arnott-Rogers collection, which is made up of about 670 mounted black and white prints, was donated to the MHRC in 1989. For further information about this collection, see 'Margaret Arnott-Rogers Photographic Collection' brochure, available from the MHRC.

Illustration 8: Unidentified child c1950

Margaret Arnott-Rogers Collection

Ruth Sabine Collection Ruth Sabine was born in 1915, and moved into the Mitcham district with her husband in the late 1940s, settling in Blackwood. She developed a love of photography through her mother, who taught her how to take pictures when she was a little girl. Sabine was an active member of the Unley Camera Club for many years (eventually receiving life membership), and entered her work in competitions. Sabine took pictures predominately around Blackwood, capturing change as it happened from the 1940s-1970s. Her photographs are dominated by streetscapes and buildings, documenting the growth of Blackwood from a small village, to bustling suburb.

The Sabine collection, which is made up of about 189 black & white and some colour prints, was donated to the MHRC in 2006. For further information about this collection, see 'Ruth Sabine Photographic Collection' brochure, available from the MHRC.

Illustration 9: Grain store

Ruth Sabine Collection

Illustration 10: Ross Peddey delivers to Mrs Partick & Helen

Source: R Peddey

Illustration 11: Darwin Family gathering almonds

Source: Ken Darwin

Prepared by Mitcham Local History Service and Heritage Research Centre, 103b Princes Rd, Mitcham Village SA 5062. Ph 8372 8261

August 2009

PHOTO PRICE LIST AND ORDER FORM

To decorate your home with memories, or give a little bit of heritage as a present

Size Sepia or Black & White Mounted

4"x 6" $6.00 $4 extra = $10.005"x 7" $15.00 $5 extra = $20.00

A4 $20.00 $15.00 extra = $35.00Scans to disk $6.00 per image

All Prices Include GST and are as of July 2008

PHOTO NO* …………… SIZE ……...…… MOUNTED - YES / NO GREEN / CREAM

PHOTO DESCRIPTION ……………………………………………………………………..………

B & W / SEPIA ……….…… QUANTITY …….. @ $ ………………. = $ …..…………..…

TO BE PAID IN FULL ON COLLECTION

NAME ……………………………………………………… PHONE …………….………………….

POSTAL ADDRESS ……………………………………………………………………….…………

…………………………………………….……………………………………

SIGNATURE ……………… ………………………… DATE …………… ……………………

* Historical information is included with all photos where possible

Exhibition possibilitiesFor your next event, special occasion or simply to enrich a waiting room, why not consider an exhibition of historic photographs? The MHRC maintains a selection of photos from each collection, made exclusively for exhibition purposes, which can be loaned from a week to three months. The CA Petts exhibition collection is framed, while the remaining collections are encapsulated and can be attached with velcro or blue tac. All pictures are captioned. Exhibition space needs to be secured or supervised at all times. To discuss options or charges, please contact the Community Historian.